


Ike and Soren's Handy Guide to Seasonal PDA

by sempre_balla



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cheesy, Fluff, Happy New Year!, M/M, New Year's Kiss, very cheesy and cliché! I love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22072462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sempre_balla/pseuds/sempre_balla
Summary: Soren scowls at his own feet. “I mean, I want to. It just feels mortifying if there isn’t a… a solid reason to. So…”“So?”“Kiss me at midnight?”
Relationships: Ike/Senerio | Soren
Comments: 8
Kudos: 84





	Ike and Soren's Handy Guide to Seasonal PDA

**Author's Note:**

> happy 2020, folks! here's a fic that is rushed and unpolished because I decided I wanted to write new year's ikesoren at about 7pm on the 31st, but I'm still posting it because I want to prove that I can do seasonal fics too (and I'm proud about finishing it in time). it also just feels right for my first fic of the year to be about these two, so I hope you all enjoy this self-indulgent drabble!!

"Ike," Soren calls. "Ike, look at me."

Ike looks down. Soren stares up at him, a tiny frown creasing his eyebrows. He wonders if there is something he's supposed to notice, but Soren looks the same as he has looked all day—donning the white turtleneck Titania gave him for Christmas and wearing his hair up in an elaborate half-up half-down hairstyle Mist insisted on doing for him. 

Soren reaches towards his face, frown still in place, and Ike blurts out: "You look nice."

"What?" Soren asks, swiping his thumb over Ike's cheek. Ike blinks, glancing around them to check if everyone's still around. They are, but before Ike can say anything Soren lowers his hand and wipes it on a napkin, smearing white on it. He holds the napkin up, showing that Ike had a sauce stain on his face. "You already told me I looked nice before. And please eat a little slower. You'll stain your sweater and I don’t want to clean mayo off wool." 

"It's just been so long since I had Oscar's cooking," he replies, running the back of his hand over the spot Soren touched for safety's sake. "Also, I can say you look nice more than once. It's true."

Soren makes a vague noise and looks down. Clearly still unused to receiving compliments, he shifts in place nervously. Ike wonders if he should feel bad for finding that as endearing as he does. 

"You look very nice too," Soren replies eventually, not looking at him at all. "These clothes suit you a lot."

Ike wonders if it’s a joke because Soren picked out the clothes he's currently wearing himself. His head still hangs down, however, and he can’t see his boyfriend’s face at all. 

"I thought you were going to kiss me just now," he confesses in a low voice. The words get Soren to snap his head up to look around them a little frantically. It's a small New Year's party, just Ike's family and their closest friends, but Soren really can't handle being affectionate in public and it shows. 

Ike does not blame him for it. He knows Soren is a very careful person, and it is more than understandable that being watched by others in moments of vulnerability makes him nervous. Soren blames himself for it though, and when he checks no one is looking their way he frowns deeply, guilt etched in his features. 

"I… I'm sorry for reacting like that," Soren sighs, letting his head hang down again. "Everyone is minding their own business, yet I still can't…" 

"Hey, don't worry," Ike reassures him, squeezing Soren's shoulder. "I really don't mind. I like it better in private too."

Soren scowls at his own feet. “I mean, I want to. It just feels mortifying if there isn’t a… a solid reason to. So…”

Ike thinks that kissing whenever they want to just because they feel like it is a solid enough reason, but he knows Soren’s mind is complicated. He never takes things as what they are, always trying to rationalize even the simplest matters. Ike doesn’t want to shame him for something he can hardly control, so he squeezes his shoulder again.

“So?” he prompts him.

“Kiss me at midnight?” Soren whispers, his voice so quiet Ike almost misses it. His hairstyle puts his ears on full display and Ike watches as they quickly redden, enthralled. “It’s a tradition after all, so other couples here will probably do it.”

“Sure,” Ike says, letting his hand trail down Soren’s arm until it finds his hand. He hooks their pinkies together in a loose hold and tugs slightly until his boyfriend looks up at him. “But are you sure you want to? We’ve never been into traditions, you and I.”

“I do,” Soren replies, lightly squeezing his pinky finger. “No one will be looking at us and I-I… I think that starting the new year by kissing you would be… nice.”

“Nice,” Ike echoes, grinning. “Sure, yeah.” Soren nods and looks down again, and Ike can’t help but chuckle lightly. “You’re so embarrassed.”

“This is a terrible conversation,” Soren huffs, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, a habit of his whenever he’s embarrassed. His hand twitches mid-gesture as he realizes his hair is done up and he has nothing to tuck behind his ear, and he laughs under his breath, pressing his palm against his own cheek. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess.”

“Don’t be, I kinda like it.” He gives Soren’s pinky another reassuring squeeze and asks: “How long until midnight?”

Soren looks at his wrist watch and says: “About a couple of hours.”

“Should we play card games to pass the time? Mist is still itching to get her revenge on you for the last time we played together.”

“None of you are ever going to best me,” Soren says matter-of-factly. 

“But we won’t go down without a fight.” Ike replies. He eyes the table full of food he has been gradually emptying for the entire evening and lets go of Soren’s hand to grab his third and final lobster roll of the night. “I’ll go see who wants to play us, you go grab a deck.”

“Alright,” Soren replies. He hands him a clean napkin with a pointed look. “Please take this along.”

Ike takes the napkin and, with a heartfelt promise not to stain his clothes, they part. 

* * *

They play three different card games and Soren beats everyone in them, so he is banned from playing eventually to let everyone else have a chance of victory. He sits back for the rest of the evening, whispering tips to Ike whenever he starts losing and praising him whenever he’s in the lead. Mist, Boyd and Mia accuse them of cheating, but Ike doesn’t have it in him to tell Soren to stop leaning in and cheekily pointing out the weaknesses of every other player. They wrap up ten minutes before midnight and Ike enjoys how relaxed Soren seems in comparison to how he was before. They’re leaning close to one another as they wait for the clock to strike midnight, speaking softly in a way that Ike thinks makes them look very much like a couple. The TV is on so they can all keep up with the countdown to the new year, but it is merely background noise to Ike and Soren. 

“Rhys has gotten better.” Soren is eyeing their friend on the other side of the room. “Playing mind games must be easy with such an inoffensive appearance.”

“You still beat him by a landslide,” Ike replies. “You’re truly amazing.”

“Oh, shut up,” Soren says, his words harsher than his tone. “I know you suggested we do something I’m good at to calm me down.”

“Well? Did it work?”

Soren sighs through his nose but, when he looks up at him, there is an impossibly fond look in his eyes. 

“Yes, Ike.” His voice is soft and he reaches for Ike’s hand, taking it with a stronger grip than before. “Thank you. For this and for everything you have done for me this year.”

Ike squeezes his hand, pulling him a little closer to him. “Of course. Thank you for everything too.”

Soren shakes his head. “I used to dread what a new year would bring me, but ever since I met you, I… You’ve changed everything, Ike.”

“Hey, you did a lot of changing yourself,” Ike says. He bumps his forehead against Soren’s, his neck straining because of their height difference. “I’m proud of you.”

Ike expects him to thank him, maybe to smile one of those soft, tiny smiles that have so much emotion packed in them it’s almost overwhelming. But Soren blinks a couple of times, reaches a hand up to cup his cheek, and stands on his tip toes to go for a kiss. Ike doesn’t react at first, but the shock wears off fast and he closes his eyes, holding Soren’s hand tighter as he returns the kiss. It is chaste, but it lingers as if they’re reluctant to pull apart.

They separate with a start when cheers erupt around them, however. There is a collective cry of “Happy new year!” and Ike almost laughs in disbelief when he looks at the clock hung in his living room. 

“Seems like we were early,” he says. 

“I’m sorr—” Soren begins, but Ike pulls him into a hug before he can finish his apology, making sure to tilt his head up so he can lock their lips together in a much shorter kiss. 

“There,” he says, “happy new year.”

Soren opens his mouth, but he can’t say anything before Mist is running up to them and joining the hug from behind him, crushing his small body between the siblings. 

“Happy new year, you lovebirds!” she screams into his ear, making Soren wince. “My new year's resolution is to kick your butt in any kind of game!”

“That’s stupid,” Soren replies, looking back at her, but Mist is already running off to whomever her next victim is. He sighs, turns around, and offers Ike a small, tired smile. “Happy new year.”

“Here’s to a good one,” Ike says. “Together,” he adds, and the way in which Soren’s smile softens warms his heart. 

“Yes,” Soren murmurs, pressing a little closer. “Together.” 

**Author's Note:**

> it's real cheese hours
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/deformedcities/)


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